1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a structure for introducing outside air into an engine compartment of a fork-lift truck such as a diesel or gasoline powered industrial vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional fork-lift trucks are so constructed as to have an engine compartment 90 for housing an engine 91, a radiator 92, and the like as shown in FIGS. 20 and 21.
The conventional engine compartment 90 of a fork-lift truck is open at its bottom. An oil tank 96 and a fuel tank 97 are disposed at opposite sides of the engine compartment 90, so as to enclose the engine compartment 90. As FIG. 22 shows, since an open step 9420 is formed in the frame 942 of a vehicle body side, the oil tank 96 has a notch which defines a recessed area 960 serving as a portion of the open step 9420.
As FIGS. 20 and 21 show, a hood 93 covers over the upper part of the engine compartment 90. The frame 942 and a weight 95 cover the front and rear parts of the engine compartment 90, respectively.
As FIG. 20 shows, the weight 95 is provided with an exhaust port 950 through which outside air 8 introduced at the bottom into the engine compartment 90 is exhausted rearward. The flow of the outside air 8 is caused by a cooling fan 910 which is rotatably mounted on the engine 91, resulting in cooling the radiator 92, and the like.
Reference numeral 99 in FIG. 20 designates a rear wheel of the fork-lift truck. Reference numeral 930 in FIG. 21 designates a noise-proof seal. Reference numeral 98 in FIGS. 20 and 21 designates a head guard which is integrally formed with a frame of the oil tank 96, and the like.
The oil tank 96 is filled with working hydraulic oil 961 for power transmission for cargo working operations of the fork-lift truck.
In the aforementioned engine compartment of the conventional fork-lift truck, the oil tank 96 cannot be sufficiently cooled. The bottom part of the engine compartment 90 is conventionally left open to introduce the outside air 8 through the bottom for cooling the radiator. Overheating of the working oil 961 has occurred in this type of fork-lift truck. Additional oil coolers can be provided to cope with this problem of overheating, but that adds to the cost of the truck. The pipe arrangement has to be elongated for such additional oil coolers, resulting in increasing flow resistance and causing other problems.
Since the fork-lift truck is constructed to introduce the outside air 8 from the bottom part of the engine compartment 90 as FIG. 21 shows, a vortex 81 is likely to occur over the oil tank 96 and the fuel tank 97. This will promote the accumulation of dust 82, such as sand taken up from the ground, on upper surfaces of both tanks 96 and 97. Moreover, noise easiy carries from the bottom part of the engine compartment 90.